April Progress
Options
Replies
-
do you think it's possible to go too low with the squat? I keep hearing A2G but the video doesn't really show anyone getting that low-even if grass were growing:laugh: I could get complete contact between ankle and glutes. Would this be too low? unnecessary? too hard? risk injury? It seems like that is the full range of motion for me, but maybe I am flexible? or my form would suffer potentially?
I can get that low without weights but not with weights, and as I go up, I find myself stopping higher and higher.
Check out this dude:
0 -
do you think it's possible to go too low with the squat? I keep hearing A2G but the video doesn't really show anyone getting that low-even if grass were growing:laugh: I could get complete contact between ankle and glutes. Would this be too low? unnecessary? too hard? risk injury? It seems like that is the full range of motion for me, but maybe I am flexible? or my form would suffer potentially?
Krista at Stumptous (my first inspiration for lifting heavy) says:
" I just stop when my hamstrings hit my calves."
http://www.stumptuous.com/dork-diva-squat
(If you aren't familiar with her, poke around the site - it's fab)0 -
Its just not necessary to go ATG and you won't be able to do as much weight but I do it for my low weight warmup sets.
Also ATG requires a higher bar position for most people than the squats in the SL video (since high bar vs low bar). But do it how you want to as long as you are doing a back squat - I debated this for a while since I have the flexibility but I decided I wanted to see big numbers and I only cared about a competition qualifying squat right now.
if I could find an olympic lifting gym I'm kind of interested in that and then I'd switch but for now I'm just doing this to gain as much raw strength as possible. Not gonna lie - its pretty satisfying to put the 45 lb plates on the bar.0 -
I did my first workout today, I was in and out the gym so quick people that was there when I started was still working out when I left. It really felt good doing squats the correct way I was at the gym early this week and was doing them incorrectly and the front of my thighs were sore (still a little sore) but I notice the difference today when I did a full squat the correct way. I really enjoyed the whole workout today (squats, bench press and barbell rows). Sooo my days are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
Awesome! Congrats on your first day!
Thank you0 -
No stiff back today...whoot!
Yesterday's stats:
Squats 95 pounds (felt great!)
Bench press (failed at 65 first set, dropped to 60 and was fine)
Barbell Row: 70
I'm definitely becoming quickly addicted to stronglifts. Everything else is boring. lmao0 -
I sorta did workout A yesterday despite my back still hurting. I was able to do my squats at 75lbs and bench 60lbs. My squats weren't pretty so I'm going to stay at 75 next time and continue to work on form. I think one of my legs is stronger then the other because when I come up one side is higher then the other and it messes up my balance.
I was supposed to do 75lb rows but with my lower back still not 100% I did some pull up's, chin up's and lat pull downs instead.0 -
AWSOME Job everyone esp newbies! Congratulions on starting, that's often the hardest part of this whole process.
Oh, holy heavyweight I got past my 120lb squats last night and while it was hard it wasn't THAT hard! Wooot!
Pretty grindy on the Benches 95 but not so much I feel I should do them again so next time will be 100.
Was supposed to do 90s last night for rows, but since I can't do math...
struggling really hard w/1st set only got 3 out, then did the rest. then sat down to log it, looked at the weights, thought about how hard it was, looked at the weights again and realized I hadn't done 90's but 95s!!! So will have to do them over, but it's where I should have been for the next round of rows anyway! lol. :ohwell:
stats:
Squat 120 HA!
Bench 95
Row 95 (do over next time)
Friday's goals:
Squats: 125
moving to OHP from dumbell shoulder presses of 25 each side to 45lb ohp
Deads: 1400 -
AWSOME Job everyone esp newbies! Congratulions on starting, that's often the hardest part of this whole process.
Oh, holy heavyweight I got past my 120lb squats last night and while it was hard it wasn't THAT hard! Wooot!
Pretty grindy on the Benches 95 but not so much I feel I should do them again so next time will be 100.
Was supposed to do 90s last night for rows, but since I can't do math...
struggling really hard w/1st set only got 3 out, then did the rest. then sat down to log it, looked at the weights, thought about how hard it was, looked at the weights again and realized I hadn't done 90's but 95s!!! So will have to do them over, but it's where I should have been for the next round of rows anyway! lol. :ohwell:
stats:
Squat 120 HA!
Bench 95
Row 95 (do over next time)
Friday's goals:
Squats: 125
moving to OHP from dumbell shoulder presses of 25 each side to 45lb ohp
Deads: 140
Super impressive!!0 -
do you think it's possible to go too low with the squat? I keep hearing A2G but the video doesn't really show anyone getting that low-even if grass were growing:laugh: I could get complete contact between ankle and glutes. Would this be too low? unnecessary? too hard? risk injury? It seems like that is the full range of motion for me, but maybe I am flexible? or my form would suffer potentially?
I think lots of people successfully do ATG squats. For some, they are too low (if you lack the flexibility, which some do) - it sounds like you are flexible enough, so you're probably fine.
That said, the Stronglifts' guy doesn't really recommend ATG squats, but it seems to be mostly because of concern of potential for injury in those who aren't flexible enough for them. He does also say this:
"You want to Squat ATG - fine. Just remember that your torso needs to be more upright for that, and that you should therefore use the high bar position to keep balance. Remember also that high bar is less leverage and thus less maximum weight. That's why if strength is your goal (which it should be for maximum muscle gains/fat loss), low bar parallel Squats are the exercise you should do." (From here: http://stronglifts.com/how-deep-should-you-squat-anyway/)
You might be interested in this article as well: startingstrength.com/articles/squat_rippetoe.pdf He talks about bar position on squats (you need high-bar if you're going to go ATG), and how that affects the muscles that the squat utilises, etc. To summarize it, he basically says that if you want to use your hamstrings, you should do low-bar squats to parallel.
There's a multitude of information out there about how-and-why you should squat, so there's lots more out there to sort through! I guess in the end it all depends on what your goals are. Build strength? Build muscle? Compete in a powerlifting competition? Etc. And you can always experiment with various styles, right?
0 -
thanks, everyone for the input and the resources, I will check it. I did read Starting Strength so I might be confusing my Rippetoe with the Strong Lifts. I don't think they are that different.
I am ready for a workout tonight, two days of rest so it should be good!0 -
I haven't had the burning either that I've noticed.
Make sure when you deadlift the bar is VERY VERY close to your legs. when you're in your start position your knees should be out past the bar (they will move out of the way as you come up) and your feet are under the bar pretty far
I have a tendancy to whack my knees with the bar, so I think I'm close enough. lol.0 -
It's so nice to come in from the boys room, to all ladies! Thank you all just for being here!
I'm finally starting to get the energy back from lifting and my enthusasim for this program and the whole process has been revitalized. It is so nice to actually be looking forward to beating a lift again! I actually can't wait for Friday night, just need the peeps to not interfere.
Oh and my whole household is male... even the cat! :ohwell:0 -
(psst, if you whack your knees you're pulling your back up to soon relative to when you are straightening your legs - but its a fine line anyway)
I'm glad you got your enthusiasm back - I could use a little myself. I am really glad my husband is doing this with me and I really want him to exercise (and he won't on his own) for his health (otherwise he sits in a chair all day and doesn't move then comes home and sits some more) but I kind of miss doing it on my own schedule. I hate that I have to baby him through getting up and going to the gym (he whines, he insists on a 'break' time between work and the gym, he insists on waiting until he thinks the gym won't be 'crowded', blahblahblah).
*huffhuff*
Ok. Just gotta go and do it and I will feel better.0 -
So i *redid* day 1 workout A today. The first time I did it I kept adding weight each set...
I wasn't sure what my 5x RM were, so I was conservative
Starting out:
Squat 75# (My 1 RM pre-surgery was 185, I think I'm about 145-150 now)
Bench 60# (My 1 RM pre-surgery was 115 - I struggled with 110 recently)
Row 65# - never did this movement before so starting from ground level.*
* it's quite an awkward lift! Should your position be the same as your starting position of the deadlift (90* squat)? Does the plane of the bar remain vertical (up & down, similar to a reverse BP?)
I felt it was quite easy and really didn't break a sweat. I rested 45-60 secs between sets. I know as weight increases, i'll be resting longer.0 -
* it's quite an awkward lift! Should your position be the same as your starting position of the deadlift (90* squat)? Does the plane of the bar remain vertical (up & down, similar to a reverse BP?)
Yeah it really is awkward - watch the video here, your intuition that it is basically a reverse BP is exactly right.
http://stronglifts.com/how-to-perform-the-pendlay-row-with-correct-technique/0 -
I love this group.
0 -
I know I'm not lifting really huge numbers yet, but lifting 120 lbs off the ground yesterday was freaking awesome. It was hard, but damn it felt good.
Oh - and I wanted to share this link with you all from Nia Shanks. A celebration of strength! These videos are so cool - http://www.niashanks.com/2012/04/celebrate-strength0 -
I did squats/bench/row day today, and increased my squats from my deload back up to 90 lbs, and felt fine. Using UponThisRock's advice to activate my hips *before* the descent and keep 'em activated on the ascent as well. Still iffy about my hands (using a neutral thumb is really starting to aggravate my the outer edge of my thumb, just before it joins to my palm.. there's a bone just above the fleshy part and it tends to get really raw!), but I'm getting there.
ALSO. The best part about today was that I asked the helpful badass lady who was actually working today (not just doing a personal workout) if she could spot my bench. HOLY CRAP having a spotter is AMAZING. Fifth rep of my first set, I was all agghhhhh nooooo... and she yelled at me until I pushed it all the way back up!
Ditto the rest of the sets (though I started failing on set 3). Way easier to push yourself when someone is there to: 1) yell at you, and 2) ensure you don't drop the bar on your face if you fail (even though the bench rack has small catch bars, it's still nice to have someone there). Wish she could be there all the time... oh well.
Didn't end up having time for rows (waiting 5 minutes between sets takes foreverrrrrr and I had to leave right at the end of my 45 minutes to meet someone), but I still feel excited about pushing myself so hard with the bench.0 -
I loved that Nia shanks post - but it led me to this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=U-kRaR8yfqg#!
this is actually something I would REALLY like to do. Someday. Without all the la la dancing in between, just the pole work.0 -
I know I'm not lifting really huge numbers yet, but lifting 120 lbs off the ground yesterday was freaking awesome. It was hard, but damn it felt good.
Oh - and I wanted to share this link with you all from Nia Shanks. A celebration of strength! These videos are so cool - http://www.niashanks.com/2012/04/celebrate-strength
I'm loving this blog, thanks for sharing it.0
